Why We Didn't Use Schedules in the Summertime

I still keep up with the school schedule not only because of teacher daughter but also because old habits die hard. When you raise 4 daughters certain norms develop in your life that tend to stick forever. Add to that the fact that you were a full-time volunteer at their schools and when they grew up and left your nest empty you decided to take a teaching position in their elementary school keeping up with the county school schedule becomes etched in wherever it is life stuff gets etched. I was still getting up in the mornings the same time I did when my life was school oriented until a couple months ago. Now, I let myself sleep all the way to 6;00 some mornings.

Keeping up with the school schedule is beneficial especially when towards the end of the year. The practice enables you to:

• know when the traffic is going to be less stressful at least twice each day
• know you need to be careful around the neighborhood when driving through
• know when your teacher friends are going to be ready to hang out without looking tense and sucking down margaritas like there's no tomorrow...just kidding, they'll still do the latter
• know when you don't have to worry about your teacher daughter driving 30 minutes through traffic on one of the most dangerous roads in Charleston County to get to her school
• know when the county breathes a collective sigh of relief
• know, if you're a teacher you are one year closer to retirement

If you have school aged kiddos, knowing the end of the year schedule sparks a pep in your step because you know:

• when packing those school lunches is almost over for the summer or a break
• all the extra work of putting on luncheons, room mom-ing, stressing over homework and schedules is coming to a much-desired end
• your kids' stress over testing is quelled for a couple months
• you get a break from running yourself crazy between school and after school activities
• no summer PTA meetings 
• having to do the laundry whether you want to or not because the kids need to wear clothes to school
• NO SETTING THE ALARM
• no worrying about which programs to join
• no fundraisers
• you're one year closer to an empty nest

Ahhh, summer. When it arrives all who are in any way remotely connected with the schools breathes easier once again able to relax for a minute. Unless you're one of those moms who puts their kids into every conceivable summer program out there. I was not that mom.

Kids should relax and be kids in summer. 

Summer time in our household meant slow, easy days and nights. We played the one day at a time card all summer long. We lazed around, we went to the beach (this was a daily practice since it's only 3 miles away), we went to the pool, we read, we watched movies, we had cookouts, basked in the sun, ran around the yard, visiting grandparents, went to the lake, celebrated birthdays, walked nature trails, rode bicycles... We enjoyed our summer without such joy stealers as schedules. Summer time was a time for my girls to just be kids. 

Summer busy is different from school year busy. 

I suppose you could say our summers were busy if, by busy you mean full. Of fun. Of relaxation. Because summer busy is different from school year busy. One means active, one means work. One means slow and easy, the other means fast and furious. One means smelling the roses, the other means mowing down the roses so they don't distract you. 

Summer heat is not something I like one little bit. But summer focus? I'm always on board with summer focus. Even in an empty nest. 

Surf's up, dudes! 

Are you on board with a relaxed summer focus? 

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